


A Chance Meeting At The Start Of A New World

by Fox_Salz



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ancestors with Pre-Scratch Names, Bro is weird and yet somehow charming, Doomed Timeline(s) (Homestuck), F/M, Fluff and Angst, Meet-Cute, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24620728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fox_Salz/pseuds/Fox_Salz
Summary: Porrim meets a very odd man at the park, but she can't deny his charm. It probably helps that he has a kid, too.
Relationships: Dave's Bro | Beta Dirk Strider/The Dolorosa
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10
Collections: Ancestor Exchange 2020





	A Chance Meeting At The Start Of A New World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MagneticHummus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagneticHummus/gifts).



> I saw the prompt for Bro/Dolorosa and boy howdy I could just not pass that up, it's too delectable. A shame it hasn't been a thing before this fic, either.

Porrim stared down at the fidgety grub in her lap. Kankri was nibbling on her dress. He paused, apparently sensing her eyes on him, and gazed slowly up. Smiling, she patted his tiny head between his even tinier horns.

“That’s fine, Kanny. It’s old, anyway. I’ll need to get myself a whole new wardrobe.”

With what currency she wasn’t sure. She didn’t have much human money, and what she did have saved up was barely enough for rent and food. It would be fine; the humans were getting more used to trolls, less distrustful and more curious, and every day Porrim was picking up new customers. Mending and making clothes for nosey, often rude humans was much better than, well, basically the whole of Alternia.

At least she had gotten Kankri out of there.

Speaking of, he was nudging her arm and looking up at her with such big, worried eyes. Hardly hatched and still so concerned about others. Realizing her smile had fallen, Porrim put it back on and scooped him up. Kankri let out a chirp that turned into a delighted buzz as she pressed kisses all over his tiny body.

“So that’s what y’all look like as babies? Kinda cute.”

Porrim barely kept herself from flinching. Or, more socially inappropriate on this planet, hissing. Cradling Kankri to her chest she gazed over at the stranger. The first thing she noticed were the prominent dark glasses on his face, sharp points sticking out from under the brim of his orange hat; a strange choice for this late in the evening, the sun low in the sky—the whole reason she had chosen to come out here now. The second thing she noticed was the baby in his arms. Also wearing similar shades, if made to fit his tinier head.

“Not bad yourself,” she commented wryly, nodding at the baby, “if they’re anything to go by.”

“Look at that, little man, fresh off the meteor and already getting those admirers. Knew you had that Strider charm.”

The baby made a small gurgling sound, burying his face in his lusus’ chest. Porrim couldn’t help a genuine chuckle.

“This seat taken?”

Porrim scooted to one side of the park bench so the stranger had enough room. He plopped down beside her, settling his grub in his lap and holding him with just one arm, the other resting at the elbow on the back of the bench.

“I’m Dirk, by the way. Probably should have made the introductions first before just opening my mouth. Little man here is Dave.”

“Porrim,” she returned. “This is Kankri. And no worries, it wasn’t the rudest thing I’ve had to deal with on your planet.”

“I can imagine. Us humans revel in our ignorance.”

Porrim hummed in agreement which only seemed to amuse Dirk.

“Been here long? How’re you liking Texas? Gotta be cultural whiplash, unless trolls are real big on passive aggressive fundamentalism.”

“We’re bigger on the aggressive part. I have picked up on some interesting human lingo, however. ‘Bless their soul’, for starters.”

Dirk let out a bark of laughter that brought a bit of red to his cheeks. It still struck her to see such a shade so freely shown.

She tried to ignore how very cute it made him look. Younger, too. It struck her that they seemed about the same age—far too young to be caretakers.

“How long have you had Dave?” she asked in a moment of spontaneity.

“Not long. My little bro here can’t even hold a katana yet.” He held a finger out that the baby readily took, wrapping a chubby little hand around. “Great grip, though. Gonna be a natural, even if he won’t need sword skills in a doomed timeline.”

Porrim’s brow furrowed, but before she could figure out or ask what that meant Dirk was talking again.

“What about Kankri? I don’t know how long before your species get whole new bodies, but he’s pretty young right?”

Hearing his name, Kankri let out an adamant chirr which drew everyone’s attention. Porrim smiled and scratched under his chin as she confirmed, “Kanny is very young, yes. It’ll be a bit before he pupates. And you feel free to take your time, little one, so I don’t have to worry about getting you a whole new wardrobe, too.”

Also, frankly, she had no idea what to do with a wiggler. There was no lusus waiting to adopt him, and her jade training had certainly not prepared her for taking care of anything but grubs.

Well, whole new world, whole new way of doing things.

"Little guy really likes attention, huh?”

Dirk reached over, voice pitching a bit higher as he started to greet Kankri. When his hand got close to Porrim’s, however, Kankri suddenly snapped, nicking his fingertips before he could pull them back.

Porrim’s heart rate spiked. She didn’t need another human thinking they were a danger. The last time someone had called the authorities and they’d had to run. If humans got a hold of them they’d be separated, dissected maybe. If they were handed over to trolls they’d end up as paint for the clowns or maybe even the Empress herself.

All Dirk did, however, was snicker. She let herself relax just a fraction.

“Heh, looks like you got a mama’s boy on your hands.”

“I don’t know what that means, but Kanny can be especially fussy. I’m really the only companionship he has.”

Familiar guilt struck her. Kankri should be roaming around the brooding caverns, wriggling into little nooks and crannies, chirping at fellow grubs, sleeping pressed together in a large group instead of on her human styled comfortslab. Like she always did, she reminded herself that this was better. It was dangerous in the caverns, mutant or not, when the other jades encouraged the grubs to fight. Before running off she’d been constantly reprimanded for breaking them up, caring for any injuries. She’d face a lot more for saving a cherry red mutant.

“I’d say ‘penny for your thoughts’ but that’s either too ironic or not ironic enough. What am I saying, nothing’s too ironic.”

Glancing over at him, lip quirking upwards, Porrim told him, “Just thinking about where I came from.”

“Any thoughts you’d like to share? It’s gotta be lonely, packing up and shipping off to a whole ass different planet that your species didn’t even know about until recently.”

“I can't say it’s been the smoothest transition. Overall I’m enjoying your planet, though.”

“Must seem quaint, compared to all your alien tech. Gotta admit I’d love to get my hands on it.” He mumbled something to himself, and she swore she heard the word ‘Brobot’, whatever that was.

“It’s certainly different. I don’t mind it too much, though.”

The only thing she really missed were recuperacoons. Though, not so much for the nightmare suppression as just the familiarity. Oddly enough, since coming to Earth she hadn’t suffered the nightmares normal for trolls.

Sometimes she saw the Demoness’ face, however. Familiar, even though she’d only heard the bedtime tales whispered late in the day as a wiggler. Strange, flashing eyes. Permanent scowl. So, so sad. The reason Porrim had even managed to escape to Earth with Kankri.

Shoving those memories back down she turned to Dirk with a friendly smile.

“What about you? Is your hive—home around here?”

“Damn, already asking about my pad. Babies really do get the ladies moving faster.”

Despite herself, Porrim laughed. She shook so much, in fact, that Kankri made an aggravated sound as he was jostled. Porrim placated him by brushing knuckles across his cheek.

“Not the impression I’m trying to give you. Just being polite. Well, maybe a bit curious, too.”

Mentally Porrim told herself not to flirt too much with this random human she literally just met. Physically she leaned just a bit towards him.

“Who am I to keep your curiosity from being sated? I’m a born and bred Texan. If you were human the accent would give that away instantly.”

“I like it. A lot different from my part of the galaxy. Adds to your—what did you call it? Strider charm?”

“I like to think it makes it about twenty percent cooler.”

Porrim hummed noncommittally. There was a smile threatening to spread across her face.

Then Kankri was chirring. She looked down, realizing that while they were talking he’d apparently given in to his own curiosity to step onto Dirk’s thigh so he could stretch out and sniff Dave. The baby, meanwhile, just watched him. Until Kankri’s tongue darted out, licking Dave’s bare toes and making him let out a little giggle.

Dave reached down and spread his hand out on the top of Kankri’s head. He let out a friendly chirp before squirming further into Dirk’s lap and butting his forehead against Dave’s chubby leg.

“Guess the Strider charm’s working on Kanny, too,” Porrim teased, glancing at Dirk, trying to gauge his reaction. He grinned.

“We ooze it so much might as well call us Slimer. Gotta suck us up in proton packs to stop us.”

“I don’t understand any of those references.”

“Troll Ghostbusters not a thing? Tell you what, I’d love to be your own Clarissa and explain it all sometime. Maybe you could come by my apartment, the kids can play together and I’ll introduce you to the best human media around.”

“A tempting offer, Mister Strider. I might have to take you up on it.”

“Call me Dirk. Mister Strider is what angry teachers used to call me.”

She chuckled, returning her attention back to the kids. They were still checking each other out, tugging on body parts, sticking stray fingers into mouths, making respective baby sounds at each other.

It was nice, interacting like this with someone who actually understood what she was saying. Not feeling like this interaction would end in another fight or flight. Porrim didn’t remember the last time she’d felt this at ease.

A whim hit her and she went with it.

“What are you doing tomorrow evening, Dirk? I understand if that’s too soon, but I do have a free few hours, and I can’t deny how nice it would be to have someone for Kankri to play with while I relaxed.”

“I can definitely understand that feeling. This little guy can be a handful, too. I’m down for a movie night, I’ll get the best cinema Earth has to offer.”

“For some reason I have the crawling feeling your tastes will be quite—“

“Versatile.”

“Interesting.”

Porrim didn’t miss the suggestive hint to his voice. Perhaps she shouldn’t be so amused by that, or receptive, but she chalked it up to that Strider charm.

Without warning something crossed Dirk’s face that she had no time to read before he asked, “Do you like puppets?”

Taken aback Porrim admitted, “I’ve never given them much thought. I don’t have any negative feelings towards them, however.”

For a split second his face lit up before he remembered himself and schooled his features.

“I would love the opportunity to give you a reason to love them.”

“Is that a human euphemism?”

Dirk just flashed her a smile that she wasn’t sure if she found charming or ridiculous.

“Alright," she agreed. “I’ll give you that chance.”

**Author's Note:**

> honesty I'd love to return to this world at some point.


End file.
